I’m always happy when a post-apocalyptic game makes its way to the Nintendo Switch. Don’t get me wrong, there are already plenty out there, but not that many that tackle games in style like Remnant: From the Ashes, which felt like a blend between Resident Evil and Darksiders in terms of gameplay—intrigued yet? Let’s dive in.
Remnant: From the Ashes was at the time of releasing a new IP from Gunfire Games, the group that previously released Darksiders 3. Despite being an indie developer, Remnant: From the Ashes is superb. It combines the best aspects of Soulsborne games with a third-person view, firearms, procedurally generated levels, and user-friendly co-op. The result is a thrilling and one-of-a-kind adventure that will leave you wanting more. And that on the Nintendo Switch (remember, this system has no games!).
Remnant: From the Ashes
Oke, let’s do some story before diving into the gameplay elements. In Remnant, an evil force called The Root has taken over a post-apocalyptic world. The Root came from faraway realms and seized Earth almost a century ago for unknown reasons. The remaining human survivors have struggled to fight against these interdimensional invaders. Fortunately, Ward 13 is one of the last strongholds of humanity. Its survivors have been studying decades of military and scientific research, discovering ancient writings and mysterious crystals called World Stones. These stones have the power to open portals into other dimensions, but their full potential is only known by the Founder of Ward 13, who has gone missing. As one of the last survivors, you must venture into these other worlds to find the Founder, discover the source of The Root, and find a way to eliminate them once and for all.
Character Elements
What I love about these games is that you pick the archetypes (or classes) you want to play as. And this also leads to a very interesting and diverse playthrough each time you run through Remnant. They determine your starting loadout and can point you toward a particular play style. Players are not locked into their chosen archetypes and can build their character however they wish with Traits, Weapons, Armor, and more. There are three Archetypes to pick from when creating a character:
- The Scrapper excels in close-range combat. Wielding a shotgun and a hammer and equipped with heavy armor, the Scrapper can take much more damage before needing to heal and is the best pick for players who want to smash through the early levels with little regard for tactics. The Scrapper also starts with a weapon mod that allows them to inflict damage-over-time effects.
- The Ex-Cultist begins with a short-to-medium ranged coach gun and a handy weapon mod that sets down a healing aura that recovers health for the player and their teammates or companions. The Ex-Cultist’s strengths lie in their ability to be self-sufficient and are a great pick for players who wish to conserve on consumables or play a healing role within a team.
- The Hunter starts with weapons and mods that center around dealing damage and exploiting enemy weak spots. They excel in dealing damage from afar but may have difficulty in enclosed spaces. The Hunter’s starting traits are also conducive to a stealthy playstyle which can offer some survivability, and their weapon mod allows them to see enemies through walls, allowing for strategizing and preventing ambushes.
I went with the Hunter the first time I powered up the game, but I quickly switched to Scrapper since I played solo instead of with a team. This made my playthrough a bit harder with the Hunter, just like it did with the Sniper classes I usually picked in Borderlands games (especially Borderlands 2).
Gameplay Elements
Remnant: From the Ashes offers a unique experience with randomly generated worlds. Each playthrough is built upon dynamic generation, ensuring no two experiences are identical. The game features a handful of visually striking worlds, such as the arid land of Rhom, full of vicious creatures and buried history, the lush and dense Yaesha, and the brackish and swampy Corsus. While the foundation remains the same, the physical makeup of each world will differ for each player, resulting in unique twists and turns, enemy locations, loot, and boss encounters.
With over 20 boss encounters in the game, players are unlikely to encounter every single one during a single playthrough. Additionally, each boss has alternative kill options, which offer unique rewards. However, one downside to the random nature of the levels is that they lack a curated feeling, with vast spaces where crucial environmental storytelling is missing. Although the breathtaking locations make up for this, the levels can feel hollow when the shooting and action stop. Additionally, players must run long distances to get to the next dungeon or location. This leads to multiple stamina drains and unnecessary slowdowns that can hamper the intensely enjoyable fighting, especially when you switch from long-ranged damage to quick hand-to-hand close combat action.
Co-Op
Playing Remnant: From the Ashes solo is an option, but adding a friend to the mix makes for a richer experience. Two friends can quickly join in on the fun, as there are no cumbersome lobbies or odd settings to navigate. Your friend needs to join through a friends list or invite. The co-op nature of Remnant truly shines through when playing with others. There’s a real sense of teamwork as you strategize together. Who will take on the healing ability during a boss fight? Who has the best scrap-collecting buffs to benefit the whole team? Discussing strategies and improving builds is all part of the fun in pursuing that sweet loot.
Regarding the impact of co-op on difficulty, the level of challenge is adjusted according to the team size. Nevertheless, a particular difficulty setting can be modified if the current level is too effortless. During my playthrough with my wife (whom I forced to test this with me), we found the Normal difficulty sufficiently captivating without causing excessive frustration, except for her not knowing which buttons to push and mostly hogging along while shouting what she had to do. For seasoned Soulsborne players, opting for a higher difficulty level is recommended. Yes, I’m looking at you, Elden Ring players.
Conclusion
Remnant: From the Ashes is a fantastic game that perfectly balances familiarity and uniqueness and feels like a warm bath in a four-star hotel. The randomized experience of Gunfire Games is nothing short of remarkable, giving players a chance to enjoy fresh playthroughs and pursue alternate boss kills and weapon acquisition that adds to the game’s continued purpose. Though Remnant: From the Ashes may have minor pacing and story issues, it rightly earns its place at the Soulsborne table as a game that stands out on the Nintendo Switch.
